I have heard many Kenyans remark on how the Chinese
people are fond of bargaining on almost everything. Such remarks bring a smile
to my face as I recall my shopping experiences in the famous shopping spots for
tourists and foreigners in the Beijing, China. The Silk Market, Yashow Market and Carrefour come to mind.Bargaining is a cultural norm in
China and is acceptable in most Chinese stores, except in large stores,
corporate shops and department stores in which the goods have clear fixed
prices. Bargaining is the main mechanism that people use to interact in the
marketplace and using it in its correct art form will get you so much for a
decent price. The saying goes “everything in China is negotiable.” Shopping,
buying and selling, they're all games. The seller plays and the buyer plays.
The game is amiable and the best player wins.
Just like the Kenyan hawker in the streets of
Nairobi and in the markets, the seller starts with a really high price,
especially when it comes to foreigners. The fun starts as soon as you say “No”, “too much” or “Bu Yao”. The Chinese
trader will ask what you are willing to pay and as soon as you place your
offer, a calculator will appear from nowhere in a matter of seconds and a
figure will be punched and thrown on your face. The game has officially begun.
Nothing is bought or sold without the ever-present large format calculator and
the transaction can continue to be wordless as the calculator is handed back
and forth between the seller and the buyer. This is when one’s bargaining
skills are put to the real test. You will wish you had taken more trips to “Gikomba”
market so as to be able to cope with such moments. It is not easy to escape,
especially if you like the product and the best options is to play the game
hard and if you’re good at it or “tough” as they say, you will get the product
at a good price.
For example, for an item worth 50 RMB, the seller
will probably start at 120 RMB. My guess of a fair price would be between 50
and 70 RMB but as a buyer, you are safer proposing as low as 30 or even 20 RMB so
that you have more room to maneuver. There's nothing more disappointing in a
bargaining game than starting too high. Obviously, the seller will say no and
follow with words like “are you crazy” or “are you kidding me” and in no time,
the calculator will be on your face with a reduced value. It is very difficult
to establish the correct price because everyone sells at different prices and
want to maximize on the profits and it all depends with the buyer.
There is some form of art in this bargaining. The
seller sometimes fidgets and mumbles Chinese words to make you feel like you’re
being unfair. However, smiling and insisting on your own price is the way to
go. Vendors love to play like you've ruined their day with your hard bargaining.
You'll hear everything from "Now my child won't have any dinner," to
"You are getting this for less than I paid for it! If you buy from several
shops, you will notice that they all say the same things and the same tactics
are being used. Most of the traders do not speak English but they have mastered
key words and sentences necessary to facilitate the bargaining process. I must
say I am proud of my bargaining skills, thanks to stints at Gikomba, Ngara and
other hawkers market in Nairobi. I got several compliments from the sellers
after negotiating and arriving at a decent price.
 |
| Mission Accomplished!! |
There is always a comic relief in the bargaining
process with Chinese traders. The negotiation never gets tense. It is fun and
it is a game; the best player wins. They never allow tension to build in the
process of negotiating. They will
quickly ask who you’re buying the item for and try paint a picture of how
handsome or beautiful the person will look in it in the case of clothing and
accessories. Their tone of voice and expressions add more character to what
they are saying and give the negotiation its light nature. By the end of the
small talk, there’s usually some likeability in the trader and a personal
relationship established.
Having made
some connections, talked and done business, the bargaining experience in China
is a memorable moment, especially for foreigners. Both the buyer and seller
leave with a smiling face and the buyer goes home with a cultural experience
rarely witnessed anywhere else in the world.
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